The Council of Canadians is available for comment on the new Nova Scotia Auditor General report, which found the provincial government is “failing” to properly monitor the environmental impacts of large projects it approves.

“We need an environmental assessment process that actually asks if a project is going to contribute to the long-term wellbeing of a community and its environment, and seeks free, prior, and informed consent of the Mi’kmaq people. What we have now, as shown by the Auditor General’s report, is a rubber-stamp process,” says Robin Tress of the Council of Canadians.

The Council of Canadians is concerned that not only did Nova Scotia Environment not follow up on issues surrounding the Alton Gas project, but that there are important items that don’t require follow up at all. The environmental assessment of Alton Gas did not look deeply at potential environmental impacts of creating and maintaining massive underground natural gas storage caverns, and does not require follow up on issues like groundwater.